A two-dimensional knee joint model applied to landing movements in alpine skiing

A two-dimensional knee joint model was developed to estimate forces in selected anatomical structures crossing the knee joint. The model was applied to a specific skiing movement in alpine skiing similar to a movement which has been reported to result in rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament. The muscles, ligaments and bones included in this model were the quadriceps femoris and hamstring muscles, the cruciate and collateral ligaments and the tibia and femur bones, respectively. The joint equipollence equations were solved for muscle, cruciate ligament and bony contact forces. Several simulations were performed to assess the sensitivity of the internal force calculations to variations in the inputs and to changes in the load sharing assumptions. Results from the solution of the distribution problem indicated that forces were primarily carried by the quadriceps muscle group, posterior cruciate ligament and bony contact region. The skiers analyzed in the present study did not appear to be at risk of injury to the anterior cruciate ligament. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)